Relations
with Turkey
Turkey in the 18th Century was still a force to reckon with. She had resisted Russian
expansion and held vast territories in Eastern Europe. Tipu viewed the expansion of the
British as a threat to the entire Islamic world and called the English "the
enemies of the faith". He desired the Turkish Sultan to lead a crusade
against the Europeans. For this purpose Tipu sent an Embassy to Constantinople in 1784
under Usman Khan. The response of this machine being favorable, he sent an enlarged
embassy of 4 persons in 1785. The purpose was to conclude a political & military
treaty against the English. In his letter to Sultan Abdul Hameed, Tipu wrote about the
excesses the British had committed in India and sought military support. The fourth
article of the proposed treaty spoke of military co-operation between Mysore and Turkey.
This Treaty had five clauses, one of which referred to trade facilities in Basra in
exchange for similar facilities in Mysore. Yet another clause stipulated that Turkey was
to spare as many technicians as possible to assist Tipu in gun and cannon-making. Tipu
said that the neglect of commerce and industry was the main cause of the decline in the
East.
The envoys were treated with great courtesy in Constantinople, but the main issue of the
treaty was evaded. Sultan Abdul Hameed said that the Russians had set their eyes on the
Ottoman Empire, and he was engaged in resisting their menace. The British had shrewdly
exploited this weakness of Turkey to keep it on their side, and the Turks would not
alienate the English at a time when Russia was at their door. The ambassadors returned to
India empty-handed. |
